


Human

by Mister_Spock



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-08 14:43:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7761955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mister_Spock/pseuds/Mister_Spock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spock goes to his friends for help with Nyota.<br/>Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

McCoy waited for Spock to take a seat on the other side of his desk. It wasn’t common for the Vulcan First Officer to pay a trip to sick bay and McCoy couldn’t recall a time he’d seen him look so anxious about it.   
It dried up any quip in McCoy’s throat because if he was coming to speak to him and looked this concerned, then it must be something serious. 

“When you’re ready, tell me what’s wrong.” McCoy said encouragingly. 

Spock looked at him, slightly confused. “It is a personal matter,” Spock started. 

“It’s okay. Whatever you say is in the strictest confidence, Spock.”

Spock frowned slightly this time. “Obviously.” He stated. McCoy let it slide. He was being understanding he reminded himself. “I had originally thought to go to Jim with this issue but I felt he would not have the experience that you would have.”

McCoy couldn’t help feel a little smug about that. He rarely trumped Jim and he’d never been Spock’s first choice with anything ever. But this time, he was. He realised he was smiling when he noticed the odd look Spock was giving him. “Please continue,” he said trying for professionalism. 

“I wish to take my relationship with Nyota further yet I am unsure of what our next step should be.”

“Oh!” McCoy said. He hadn’t expected that. “So, you… you mean you want to physically take it further?”

“Yes, Doctor. We have a sufficient bond for what we already share together. I do not know the human way to take the next step.”

“What er… what have you already….. done?” 

“I do not understand your enquiry.”

“Okay, so if you want to go further physically, I need to know what you’ve already done because maybe you’ve gone as far as you can go.”

“I know this is not true, Doctor.”

“I know but sometimes… there are certain things that not everyone wants to do, Spock.”

“You believe Lt. Uhura would be against marriage?”

“Against- you want to marry her?”

“Of course. However a Vulcan would be bonded to their mate. I believe that humans prefer the more romantic gesture. Of all the crew available to discuss the matter, you seemed to be the most appropriate.”

“The divorcee?” Spock went to answer before thinking twice. “Ah, look, that probably doesn’t matter, you just want to know how a human would propose, right?”

“Affirmative.” 

“I can do that.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Spock said. He paused a moment before continuing. “What did you believe I was asking you advice on?”

“Let’s not worry about that. And let’s never speak about it again, okay.”


	2. Chapter 2

“You can’t tell him that,” Bones said sitting down at the table with a drink for himself and another for Sulu. 

After Spock came to see him, he somehow convinced him that it would be a good idea to talk to some of his closer friends about the idea. Spock had looked baffled by the idea until Bones convinced him that the more input he received the better an idea he would get of what Uhura would really like. Spock had agreed and was due to join the rest of them any minute now. 

“C’mon, you have to give him something that’s a little off. Something small.” Scotty said. 

“He finds most Earth customs odd anyway. He’ll probably not even notice.” Sulu said. 

“Vulcan customs are stranger.” Chekov added. 

“So we don’t tell him anything outrageous, like he should juggle during his proposal,” Scotty amended. “But maybe… he has to get a ring for every finger.”

“Yes! That’s perfect! It’s not too awful and I think it’s believable.” Chekov agreed. 

Bones looked across to Jim. He might have been enjoying the merriment with them, but he wasn’t making suggestions himself. He wondered how Jim felt about the whole thing, whether he’d let them prank Spock at all when it came too it. He always seemed so over protective to McCoy’s mind. 

Spock took that moment to enter. He bypassed getting himself a drink to join them. Once he sat down he apologised for his tardiness. McCoy noticed that Spock still had the same kind of tension he had when he visited his sickbay the day before.  
Suddenly, the idea of teasing him seemed more inappropriate that it had minutes before. He could just correct Spock later about any mistruths he’d been told yet he found he didn’t even want to do that. It should be something he looked back on fondly, not with memories of misunderstandings, yet it wasn’t easy to just stop the others going through with their plan. 

“So Spock, I have to ask, why aren’t you just researching this on the ship’s computers?” Kirk asked as he rejoined the table. He’d gone and got Spock a drink himself. 

“I had intended too. However I believed these would give a factual account of the act involved.”

“That’s what you want, isn’t it?” Bones asked. 

Spock looked towards him. “The reason I came to you initially, Doctor was that despite the end result, you did care enough to marry. I do not want a factual account of what measures one takes to get married, I wish a more emotional understanding.”

And Bones saw it then. Any plans to tease Spock had just been demolished. There was no way that any of them were going to mess with him after admitting that.   
He could tell that Spock was a little embarrassed admitting such a thing and he took a sip of the drink Kirk had got him. The tips of his ears were green and his overall colour had changed a very tiny bit, probably not noticeable to the others. 

“Nyota does not speak of it often, but her sister’s own marriage was very important to her. While she has shown support in following traditional Vulcan ceremonies I do not wish for her to compromise. From what I have gathered, it is to be the Bride’s day and one that is emotionally pleasing for her. A traditional Vulcan ceremony will not give her that.”

The group had grown quiet since Spock had started talking about why he wanted to do this. Yep, he’d shut down the idea to tease him.   
“I wouldn’t underestimate her, Spock. I think she’d still find the emotion in a Vulcan ceremony.” Jim said.

“I believe she would, but-” Spock paused. 

“But?”

“I do not wish for her to try and suppress her emotional response on what is supposed to be her day.” Spock managed to look more uncomfortable now and he decided to pay close attention to the drink in his glass. 

“You know, when Ben proposed,” Sulu started. “He took me to see this plant that rarely blooms. He’d told them how much I was into botany and so they kept him updated on this plant and when it was ready to bloom. He’d arranged this special viewing of the plant blooming. We got to watch it from this raised viewing station and it was amazing. There were about two dozen other people there. Once we got over the initial spectacle of the flower opening, we sat there together and he just grabbed my hand and I could feel something pressed against my palm. He let go and there was this ring in my hand. I think I stared at it for about a minute before he was desperately asking me what my answer was.”

“That’s a beautiful story, Hikaru.” Chekov said. 

“It doesn’t have to be a big huge gesture, though. When I proposed to Jo we were home, had just eaten dinner and were studying together. I already had the ring. Went and made us both a coffee to keep us going with the studying and just put the coffee down and the box next to it. Took her ages to notice it and when she asked what it was I said ‘wanna get hitched?’ Said she didn’t have anything better to do and that was that. It doesn’t sound great but, at the time, we were happy.”

“These have been most illuminating. Thank you.” Spock said. 

“You just have to think what’ll be special for her,” Jim encouraged. 

“Aye and if you need any help keeping her out of the way or setting anything up if you go big…” Scotty suggested. 

“I shall keep that in mind, Mr Scott.”

“Time for more drinks?” Bones asks getting up. He stood up and Sulu, Scotty and Chekov all joined him.


	3. Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You never think about the future and your differences until there's nothing else too think of.

“I can't believe it's nearly over.” Uhura said sadly. 

Some of the crew were gathered together in one of the more intimate lounge areas on the ship. Usually saved for important guests to relax, it was made to be luxurious and comfortable and now that they'd not need it any more for any real ship business, Jim had been using it for him and his closest friends to have some intimate time together themselves.   
Before it was all gone. 

“These five year missions sure fly by,” Scotty agreed.

“You know what I'm looking forward too? Retirement.” McCoy said. 

“Bones, I think you're a way off that yet,” Jim laughed. 

“I'm still looking forward to it. I think I'll retire at 65. Spend the next few years in Georgia. With any luck, me and the wife, have the Grand kids now and then. Sounds pretty perfect to me.”

Uhura couldn't help but look at the ring on her left hand, the one Spock had presented to her weeks ago. Sulu caught her look and smiled “Well, we know what Uhura's going to be doing.”

“What?” she said, fake innocence in her tone. “I have no plans for the future,” she said reaching for Spock's hand as she teased. He held her hand in the gentlest of grips. 

“I bet you're looking forward to retirement too, huh Spock?”

“Vulcan's do not retire, Doctor.” Spock corrected him. He was gently toying with the ring on Nyota's finger. 

“Figures,” McCoy replied. 

“I think I'll retire on Earth too, you know.” Jim said. “Old space Captain out in Iowa. You can stop by now and then Bones and we'll talk about our heyday.”

“Oh, thrilling that'll be. Remember that time you died?” McCoy mocked. “Okay, that probably still won't be funny then.”

“Will you really never retire?” Uhura asked, her head resting against Spock's shoulder, words soft and intimate, but in the quiet setting still present for her closest friends to hear. 

“I will take a sabbatical when you retire, Nyota.” Spock replies. She sits up at that and stares at him for a long time. To her, the conversation around them, even the people, no longer exist, she is only focused on Spock. 

“You'll watch me die.” 

He didn't want to have this conversation here, in front of their friends. “It will be the same as any human couple retiring together.” He spoke softly, so quietly she could barely hear him. 

She was getting upset. Her eyes were bright. “Except that after I die you get to wait, what two hundred more years?” her own voice loud in upset. 

“My life expectancy is not the same as a full Vulcans.” He corrected her calmly. 

“And what if we have children?”

“Their genetic make up will be more human than Vulcan and thus their life span could be more like your own.”

“And that's okay with you? They could die before you as well?”

He didn't know how to have this conversation with her. “What would you have me do?”

She looked at the ring, sparkling on her finger. “Maybe you should be with a Vulcan woman.” Her tone matched his. Quiet and small. Scared. 

“Nyota, if you change your mind about us, I would wish to know. However, my feelings for you remain unchanged.” 

“You've considered this? You've actually sat there and thought about it all, haven't you?”

“Of course. And I still chose you.” 

“But you'll be alone for so long.”

“And yet it is still what I want.” he whispers.

The tears had already slipped down her face. He could do this to her- make her so sad and yet never have felt more loved at the same time.   
He reached and wiped the tears from her face. “Now is not the time, Nyota. We can discuss this further...”

“I don't need to. I love you.” She leans across and kisses him. He returns it and she rests into him, her head against his shoulder. She should care more about the others being there, politely not watching them, but she doesn't. She knows Spock does not care for such displays and she feels bad for him.   
She'll make it up to him later, she promises herself.   
“Anyone want another drink?” she asks, trying to break the hush that had settled over the others. 

They throw awkward smiles at her, but there's warmth in the smiles. 

“None for me. I suddenly started to feel quite nauseous just then,” McCoy quipped. 

It broke the awkwardness as grins broke out of the faces of the others. Nyota didn't care, as she pulled herself away from Spock and got them all some more drinks. 

“Perhaps you could find a remedy for such an illness, Doctor. That is your job after all.”

“I should try and find a cure. Are you two free tomorrow for a few hours? I could run some tests.”

“I do not think that would be good use of your time, Doctor. In the five years since we have started this mission I do not believe you have been able to make one potion that did not have some sort of side effect.” 

“Well, maybe I did that on purpose.”

“Then you would be quite the sadist,” 

“Okay, okay, that's enough,” Kirk broke in. “This is supposed to be a nice, relaxing time together.” 

“What wasn't relaxing about that? Little verbal sparring. Good for the soul, Cap'n!” Scotty chimed in merrily. 

Uhura placed the tray of drinks down on the table. 

“How about a toast? To the next five year mission?” Kirk said, picking up his glass. 

“To not being on it,” McCoy added. 

“To us all serving on the same ship again. One day.” Uhura said. 

“Now that I'll toast to.”


End file.
